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Pic o’ the week: coral garden, Pacific Ocean

It looks like a painting, but it’s a breathtaking photo of the ocean’s deepwater vibrant life.

“Several different vibrantly colored animals can be seen in this image, taken at approximately 2,240 meters (7,350 feet), including an Anthomastus mushroom coral (center), precious pink coral (right), bamboo coral (left), and feather stars (crinoids). Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Mountains in the Deep: Exploring the Central Pacific Basin.” ~NOAA

You have one day left to join NOAA’s Okeanos crew while they explore the deep ocean – and because of the wonders of modern tech, you can join in from the comfort of your home or office. Here’s the livestream:go.usa.gov/x9zeQ

NOAA’s research vessel, Okeanos, has been livestreaming its dives daily, as it explores and maps the Pacific Ocean’s Central Pacific Basin. Why here? Because, NOAA says, the Central Pacific Basin encompasses some of the most remote areas on Earth and is poorly mapped.

From NOAA:

“This expedition is part of the three-year Campaign to Address the Pacific monument Science, Technology, and Ocean NEeds (CAPSTONE), a foundational science initiative to collect deepwater baseline information to support science and management decisions in and around U.S. marine protected areas in the central and western Pacific. CAPSTONE serves as an opportunity for NOAA to highlight the uniqueness and importance of these national symbols of ocean conservation.”